Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c7.2668

c7.2668

6) Birth of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. The Asuras killed in the old Devāsura war were later born as cruel and evil Kings on earth. The burden of such Kings having become too much for her, goddess Earth, in the guise of a cow complained about it to Brahmā who took her to Śiva who too could not find a solution to the problem posed by Bhūmidevī. So, all of them accompanied by the Devas approached Mahāviṣṇu and prayed for the redress of their grievance. Mahāviṣṇu sent them back comforted by the assurance that he would be born as the son of Vasudeva and Devakī to solve the problem. He also arranged the Devas to be born as Gopas and the Apsarā women as Gopikās on earth for his assistance.